CPD Accreditation

FFLM Course Approval

If you are running a course / event and would like to attain CPD approval, please apply using the CPD Course Approval Application Form. Courses will be assessed against the core competencies identified by the Faculty for those practising in Forensic and Legal Medicine and CPD points will be awarded for each hour of course content judged to fall within the qualifying criteria. No ‘part-credits’ will be awarded so courses will only be awarded credits for the total number of whole hours of relevant activity provided. Please read the course submission guidelines below before completing the application.

Course Submission Guidelines

All submissions for consideration by the FFLM for the award of CPD points should be submitted on the CPD application form electronically or by post.

Necessary supporting documentation should be submitted electronically to the FFLM Office along with the relevant submission administration fee .

The result of the course assessment process will usually be confirmed within 20 working days of submission but may, on occasion take longer.

If CPD approval is needed at short notice then please contact the FFLM office before submitting an application (or paying a fee) to confirm whether course assessment can be completed within the necessary timescale.

The FFLM office will allocate a unique course reference number to each course submitted and all subsequent communications with the FFLM concerning the course must include that reference number.

In order to receive FFLM CPD approval, courses must be relevant to those practising in Forensic and Legal Medicine and the target audience must include FFLM members. Only those aspects of the course that are relevant to the core competencies required by FFLM members will be receive CPD credits.

Courses will be assessed against the core competencies identified by the FFLM for those practising in Forensic and Legal Medicine and CPD points will be awarded for each hour of course content judged to fall within the qualifying criteria. No ‘part-credits’ will be awarded so courses will only be awarded credits for the total number of whole hours of relevant activity provided.

In the event that a course does not receive FFLM CPD approval then you will be notified of this by post along with guidance as to which FFLM criteria the course failed to meet.

In this event, you may choose to resubmit the course for further assessment having addressed the reasons for the initial decision. In such circumstances a further (reduced) fee for resubmission is chargeable.

Current fees for course submission are posted on the FFLM website.

Courses that receive CPD approval will be listed on the FFLM website until the date the course is due to conclude.

Submissions are welcomed from courses held both in the UK and abroad but the same criteria in terms of course content and target audience will apply.

The current FFLM criteria for the award of CPD points are listed below.

FFLM Conflict of Interest Guidelines for CPD Course Organisers

The following guidelines are not exhaustive but are intended as guidance for course organisers when applying for FFLM approval of CPD activity.

If the organiser or any of the speakers have any potential conflicts of interest (vested interests) these must be declared on the CPD application form. It should be noted however that potential conflicts of interest will not, in themselves, prevent a course from receiving CPD approval provided that the primary purpose of the event is demonstrably educational and any sponsorship or commercial interests are shown not to be influencing the structure or content of the event.

A conflict of interest exists where an individual or organisation engaged in the provision of CPD has an interest in a commercial or other organisation which may compete with the individual’s duty to act independently in the provision of the educational activity. Conflict of interest may occur in relation to any of the following links with a third party company or organisation where that body has a commercial interest in the CPD activity being held, for example as a provider of products or services that might be of interest or relevance to the course attendees or that might want to influence the views of target audience. Such a link may be direct, or through an immediate family member

A current or recent ownership interest (including holding stock or shares) of the organisers or speakers in such a company.

Employment (extending to Board positions) or contract to provide services (including acting in a consultative or advisory capacity).

Receipt of financial or other support (including funding research, hospitality, travel or accommodation costs) provided to organizers or speakers or organisations in which they may have an interest (such as companies, departments or charities).

Payment for a representative of the company to attend or speak at the CPD event.

Sponsorship of the event or regular sponsorship of other events held by the organisers.

Any other commercial arrangement that might benefit the course organisers or speakers, either directly or indirectly.

Criteria for Approval of CPD Events or Activities

1. The primary purpose of the event must be education. Any commercial sponsorship or interests of the programme planner, presenters or facilitators must be declared on the application form and must not influence the structure or content of the event.

2. The learning objectives must be relevant to the core competencies expected of the members of the FFLM, or those practising in fields represented by the FFLM, and must fit the needs of the target audience.

3. The learning objectives must be specifically defined.

4. The teaching methods used will achieve the stated learning objectives.

5. Sufficient information (in the form of a Curriculum Vitae or equivalent) has been provided to demonstrate that the presenters or facilitators have the expertise to deliver the learning objectives using the methods chosen.

6. There must be a procedure in place for evaluation of the event.

7. The evaluation record for previous events organised by the same provider is satisfactory, or reasons for unsatisfactory ratings have been addressed.

8. Certificates of attendance must be issued, in addition the provider agrees to supply to the participant or the FFLM, on request, confirmation of participation any time up to two years after the event has taken place.

Limitation of approval

The Faculty retains its right to withdraw approval for CPD credits at any time for one or more of the following reasons:

Failure to disclose to us any conflict of interest on the part of the organiser, provider or speakers

A perception by attendees of bias on the part of the speakers at the event

Advertising presented during the educational part of the event

Advertising the event as being CPD approved before confirmation is received

Misrepresentation of the number of CPD credits approved

Misrepresentation of CPD approval on promotional or other material to imply endorsement or “Kite-marking” of the event by the FFLM, over and above other events of similar educational value. A factual statement of the number of CPD points allocated is all that is permitted (see below)

Misrepresentation of the name of the FFLM

Use of the FFLM logo without permission

Guidance on statements regarding allocation of CPD credits:

Simple statement of the number of credits/ points/ hours allocated

No other sentence should include reference to the CPD points (e.g. “Attend this meeting and obtain 14 credits”)

The award of FFLM CPD credits does not entitle a course organiser to use the FFLM logo in any documentation or promotional literature. The only exception being a course jointly organised by the FFLM and another organisation.

Font size to match that of the general information given in the promotional material

No statement of the number of credits allocated until that has been confirmed (e.g. “28 credits applied for” is unacceptable, “CPD approval applied for” is acceptable)

Please note:

Organisers of approved events are required to:

keep a record of the names of the people who attended

provide attendance certificates to participants

provide evaluation forms to the delegates and FFLM on request (up to 2 years after the event has taken place)